In present bacon slicing operations, after the product has been sliced, it is usually packed airtight in a clear plastic wrapping to prevent spoilage and preserve freshness. Rather than have this package inserted into a box for subsequent sale, it has become desirable in certain applications to have the sliced product contained within a folded card, usually made of cardboard, prior to packing it in the clear plastic wrapping. An example of this type of packaging can be seen in the pork product Sizzlean marketed by Swift & Company, Chicago, Ill. 60604.
The card involved is initially completely flat and receives the sliced product on a portion thereof, with the remaining portion of the card subsequently folded over the product. A perforation intermediate the card forward and trailing ends and between said portions is utilized to facilitate the folding. This folding is usually performed manually by a person who removes the package from a conveyor and by hand, folds the card and creases the edge so as to keep its folded position. In high speed production, this necessitates a plurality of persons which leads to considerable expense in operation.